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Reviewed by Billy Jam
ROOTS PROVE SECRET TO THEIR LONGEVITY WITH MEMORABLE IN-STORE AT AMOEBA MUSIC HOLLYWOOD:

  With their rocking in-store performance at the Hollywood Amoeba Music on September 6th innovative hip-hop group The Roots, who have been together for almost two decades, proved the secret to their longevity. "They are even more amazing live than on their CDs....just mind-blowing!," accurately surmised Amoeba shopper Becky who drove all the way up from Long Beach to see her favorite group perform and to meet them briefly afterwards and have them autograph a copy of their new CD "Game Theory." And it was the lyrically conscious and hard-hitting "Game Theory" (their first album since recently switching to Def Jam) that provided most of the material for their energetic half-hour set.  Although the show wasn't until the early evening the set-up began at 8AM that morning with the Roots' crew loading in some impressive looking high-tech equipment. "I haven't seen a mixing board that big outside a stadium concert," laughed Amoeba Music general manager Jim Henderson referring to the giant mixer that occupied a large floor area next to the information booth towards the store's entrance.

   Meanwhile at the opposite end of the store at 5:30PM The Roots' ?uestlove, who along with MC Black Thought founded the group, arrived on the Amoeba Hollywood stage, settled behind his drum-kit and started playing a funky beat as Black Thought and the other four members took their positions: Captain Kirk on guitar, Kamal on keyboards, Hub on bass, and F. Knuckles on percussion. Having the two sets of percussion provided the group with a rich, full-sounding rhythm assault making for effortless segues from one song to the next such as the seamless transition from "In The Music" into "Don't Feel Right." The latter, which is the infectious lead single off the new Roots' album, had the fans throwing their hands in the air - many of whom were still filing into the store due to the relatively early concert time (most Amoeba in-stores start an hour-and-a-half later at 7PM).  The audience, which by now numbered over nine hundred fans, offered up a wild applause when Black Thought inquired, "How many of ye'all are stars here this evening?" And as as the group launched into their Grammy nominated single/video "Star" a group of eight obviously diehard Roots' fans, tightly squeezed into the store's Isle 2's "Used Rock CDs" between the Go-Gos and Guided By Voices sections, began swaying in rhythm back and forth, hands in the air, singing along with every word of the Sly & the Family Stone inspired lyrics to the Roots' "Star" - taken from the group's 2004 album "The Tipping Point."

   The Roots, whose earlier incarnations were known by such names as the Legendary Roots Crew and the Square Roots, originally formed back in 1987 when Black Thought and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson first collaborated while attending the Philadelphia High School For Creative Performing Arts. Playing at school and on the streets they soon attracted fans to their unique fusion of hip-hop, jazz and funk - all mostly played live rather than the typical samples and drum machine based hip-hop/rap music of the day. In 1993, after living in Europe for a year, they released their debut album Organix which led to their major label signing to DGC Records and a string of critically and/or commercially acclaimed albums including the 100% sample-free "Do You Want More?!!!??!" (1995), and the Top 40 hit "Illadelph Halflife" (1996) which featured such guests as Erykah Badu, Common, D-Angelo, and Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Always evolving musically, a few years later they released the less-jazzy sounding, breakthrough album "Things Fall Apart" and that same year performed at "Woodstock '99."  In 2002, as well as releasing the hit album "Phrenology," they also performed as Jay-Z's backing band for his "MTV Unplugged" session - something that no doubt helped in their recent signing to Def Jam which Jay Z heads. As well as collaborating with numerous famous artists, the Roots have also kick-started the careers of many previous members including Scratch, Rahzel, and Ben Kenney. Two years ago the Roots released "The Tipping Point" and last year released a two-CD retrospective compilation.

    "We want to welcome you to the Official Amoeba Music In-Store Roots Tour," announced Black Thought as the group began the funk-driven "Long Time," the fifth song of their set. Like the next and (sadly) last song from their short-but-tight Amoeba performance, "Here I Come," it was also culled from the Roots' brand new album "Game Theory." And it was copies of this politically and socially charged new Roots album that a large percentage of the 300 customers, patiently lined up immediately afterwards, were clutching to have signed by all six members of the group. In addition to the customers who packed the store for the thirty minute set it seemed that every Amoeba staffer was also caught up in the music. "I love just seeing a great live hip-hop band. And what a great drummer!" - commented Amoeba co-owner Marc Weinstein - himself also a musician in such bands as MX-80 and Floyd Pinkley.